More good news for the semiconductor sector: A report finds AMD and Intel benefiting from continued demand for their chips even as new models lurk just around the corner. At the same times that OEMs aren't waiting on the new chips, they're also seemingly pushing ahead with orders despite seasonality. HardwareCentral has the story.

Even with many of Intel's existing processors due to be upstaged by new desktop and laptop models next month and going into a traditionally slow time of year, it looks as if system builders are continuing to make new products and placing orders with chipmakers Intel and AMD.

FBR Capital Markets conducted its monthly check with major desktop and notebook PC manufacturers and once again adjusted its estimates to the upside compared to just one month ago. Overall, FBR projects fourth-quarter PC builds to decline just 1 percent from Q3 instead of last month's projection of 2 percent.

Not surprisingly, there is a big difference between platforms. Notebook builds are expected to be up 10 percent quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) while desktops are down 16 percent QoQ.